A painting by Banksy of a judge using a gavel to beat a helpless protester appeared on the walls of the Royal Courts of Justice in London before quickly being covered up by guards.
Banksy confirmed the artwork was his by posting a picture of it on Instagram on Monday morning.
Local workers said security guards were in position in front of the artwork, which is thought to be a reference to pro-Palestine protests.
One, Matteo, said he passed by at 8.30am on Monday when the guards were trying to stop people from taking pictures. More staff then arrived with supplies to cover it up.
“I think it’s disgusting that they would just cover it up,” added Matteo, who witnessed arrests at a pro-Palestine protest in London on Saturday. “They are clearly afraid of the response this will get.”
Security guards in front of the screened-off Banksy mural at the Royal Courts of Justice. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Police detained close to 900 people in the demonstration against the banning of the protest group Palestine Action.
A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries, which has organised protests against the banning of Palestine Action, said: “When the law is used as a tool to crush civil liberties, it does not extinguish dissent – it strengthens it. As Banksy’s artwork shows, the state can try to strip away our civil liberties, but we are too many in number and our resolve to stand against injustice cannot be beaten.”
Banksy’s Instagram photo showed a lawyer and a cyclist passing the artwork, which is on the wall of the Queen’s Building at the court complex.
The protester was depicted lying on the ground holding a white placard with a red mark on it resembling blood.
A HM Courts and Tribunals Service spokesperson said the artwork was being taken down as the court was a listed building and they were “obliged to maintain its original character”.
skip past newsletter promotion
Get our weekly pop culture email, free in your inbox every Friday
Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
after newsletter promotion
The Queen’s Building was completed in 1964 and is registered as a Grade II-listed building, according to the National Heritage List for England, which provides legal protection for buildings of particular architectural or historical interest.
Banksy, whose identity is not known, has a reputation for political works and has painted on the separation wall that Israel erected along the boundary of the occupied West Bank.
In May, he posted a picture of a work in Marseille – a stencilled lighthouse and the words: “I want to be what you saw in me.”
